Advice on a new staff

I thought I would throw my 2 cents in as well, since I'm mainly a staff person.

To start off with, the only two sabers I own are both staves, one of which is the Dark Standard Issue V3 with UEHG blades and the other is a Phantasm Initiate V3 with mid grade UE Initiate blades. I GREATLY prefer the initiate sized hilt because it just feels more right to me. I was a bit hesitant at first to get the initiate blades with it, but I much prefer them over my 32" UEHG blades.

Spec wise, I am 5'9" and began training with a wooden staff that measure about 4'8" or so, so I was used to spinning something shorter than myself. The Phantasm Initiate V3 staff with two initiate blades measure around 5'4" I believe, so it's almost the perfect length for me to wield. My DSI staff with the UEHG blades measures 6'10" and is very cumbersome for me to wield effectively, especially for spinning, which is mainly what I do. It is MUCH easier and much faster for me to do everything I want to do with the Phantasm Initiate staff. If you are 6'1", I would recommend starting with the 32" blades. I'm sure you'll find them to be a good length for you.

In terms of color, I do not own a standard blade. I only own two UEHG blades and two UE blades, but I can guarantee you that Blazing Red looks better in the regular UE blades. If you're mainly focused on spinning, I would go with mid grade blades, but it will come down to preference whether or not you want UE or standard blades.

As for balance points, the balance point will always be in the center for a staff (obviously). When duel wielding or single wielding however, the balance point is just above the emitter on the Initiate hilts with a mid grade initiate blade. With a 32" heavy grade blade, the balance point is more like an inch and a half to two inches up the blade. I would think with a full sized Phantom hilt, the balance point would be slightly more toward the pommel in each case.

I do not know about the quick disconnect option when it comes to initiate hilts. I know that the Initiate V3 hilts are sound capable, but whether or not they allow for quick disconnect I do not know.

Hopefully you found some or all of that useful in making your decision.